William Eggleston to receive Outstanding Contribution to Photography award

“Recognised today as the pioneer of colour photography and the personal documentary style, William Eggleston has been producing cutting-edge work for over 50 years,” say the organisers of the Sony World Photography Awards, which has selected the US photographer at this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award.

“Since first picking up a camera in 1957, Eggleston’s work is said to find ‘beauty in the everyday’. His images capture the ordinary world around him, creating interest through sharp observation, dynamic composition and great wit.”

William Eggleston will receive the award on 25 April at the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards gala ceremony, and a selection of Eggleston’s prints loaned by The Wilson Centre for Photography will be on display at Somerset House from 26 April to 12 May.

Started out doing photography at the age of 6 using an uncle's old 1940 kodak brownie box camera. At 15 years of age, I decided to buy my very own 1975 Praktica SLR camera. I now shoot with Nikon DSLR equipment. I do unpaid TFP and paid work.